ASHLAND, Va. -- Highlighted by a repeat selection in CNU volleyball star Josie Lucernoni, the Christopher Newport Captains featured six student-athletes named to the 2018-19 Virginia Sports Information Directors (VaSID) Academic All-State team. Lucernoni earned a 3.97 grade-point average and was an All-Region libero for the nationally-ranked Captains to highlight the group of six honorees.

Joining Lucernoni out of the senior class was Gabby Gillis (Women's Soccer), Sarah Johnson (Women's Track & Field), and Isabella Tilmont (CNU Storm Dance Team). A pair of juniors were also recognized in Ben James (Football) and Carson Pokorny (Women's Soccer).

Following outstanding efforts both in and out of the classroom during the 2018-19 school year, the six CNU student-athletes were joined by nearly 200 others representing 33 colleges and universities from around the Commonwealth named to the All-State squad. In order to be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be at least a sophomore academically while maintaining a 3.25 cumulative grade point average. Each institution in Virginia is eligible to nominate up to six athletes for the All-State award.

(CNU All-State picks in alphabetical order by last name...)
 
Gabby Gillis - Senior - Women's Soccer - Leesburg, Va.
 
Named the Capital Athletic Conference Female Athlete of the Year after one of the finest individual performances in CNU history, Gillis final campaign punctuated the career of one of CNU's all-time great soccer players. She was named the D3soccer.com National Midfielder of the Year after also capturing first team All-America honors for the second straight season. Gillis was named Conference Player of the Year after help for her work on the field and was also named the United Soccer Coaches Player of the Year for her exceptional performance off. 
 
In her senior year, Gillis became the all-time leader in games played and started after starting al 85 contests in her career. She set career-high's in every statistical category, becoming just the third player in program history to score 40 points in a single season by finishing the year with 41 points on 15 goals and 11 assists. She earned two degrees while studying at Christopher Newport as a double major in Psychology and Sociology, graduating with a 3.72 cumulative GPA. 

Ben James - Junior - Football - Virginia Beach, Va.
 
James was named the Touchdown Club of Richmond Defensive Lineman of the Year after his junior season. He led the Captains in tackles with 40, including a team-best 10.0 for a loss of yards. He also topped the squad in sacks with six and helped CNU finish the 2018 season with a 7-2 record. A key member of a Christopher Newport defense that finished the season eighth in the nation in total yardage allowed (234.7 ypg) and 15th in rushing defense (71.7 ypg). 

A psychology major at Christopher Newport, James was named a CoSIDA Academic All-District selection in 2018. He posted a cumulative grade-point average of 3.79  and was a first team VaSID All-State selection. He was also a first team All-Conference defensive lineman after starting all nine games and picking up 21 solo tackles and 19 assisted stops. 

Sarah Johnson - Senior - Women's Track & Field - Winchester, Va.
 
Johnson established herself as one of the finest throwers in program history. She ranked first in the region in the discus with a 43.94-meter heave at the Eastern Shore Challenge, which established a new school and conference record. She also ranked fourth in the shot put with a 12.45-meter toss at the CAC Championships. During the indoor season she tied the weight throw record on the first day of the CAC Championships with a toss of 14.79 meters. 

The five-time UTFCCCA All-Region selection finished her career with a with a cumulative grade-point average of 3.80 while majoring in Psychology. She was also a three-time Capital Athletic Conference All-Academic Team selection. 

Josie Lucernoni - Senior - Volleyball - Ashburn, Va.
 
In the history of the CNU athletic department, Lucernoni became the first volleyball player and sixth athlete overall to earn CoSIDA Academic All-District honors twice. She shined on and off the court for the Captains as a Finance major, finishing her academic career with an impressive 3.97 cumulative grade-point average. She is the lone repeat selection on the VaSID Academic All-State team for the Captains this season after posting one of her finest campaigns on the floor.  

Lucernoni averaged 4.36 digs per set, standing as the seventh-highest single-season rate in program history. She pocketed at least 10 digs in 27 of her 29 appearances while eclipsing 20 on nine different occasions. She moved up to 12th on the all-time charts with 1,234 digs and slipped over the 1,000-dig mark against Bridgewater in an effort that saw her pick up 25 in the match. She was picked as a second team All-State selection for the second straight year and also hauled in All-Conference and All-Region accolades. 

Carson Pokorny - Junior - Women's Soccer - Williamsburg, Va.
 
Through three years at Christopher Newport University, Carson Pokorny has established herself as one of the Captains' most elite student-athletes in program history, by becoming just the second Captain in school history to earn Academic All-American honors twice in her career. She is the first ever to earn first team CoSIDA Academic All-America plaudits and also is CNU's first player to earn the NCAA Elite 90 award for boasting the highests GPA at an NCAA Tournament finals site. A record-setting performer on and off the field for the Captains, Pokorny is working toward a degree in Biochemistry with a perfect 4.00 GPA. 

On the pitch, Pokorny has started 60 of her 61 career games played over her first three seasons and has scored 62 points on 18 goals and 26 assists. She ranks second all-time in assists and is in the top-ten all-time in career game-winning goals. This season, she was a key cog for the record-setting CNU women's soccer season, starting all 22 games and ranking fourth on the team in scoring with 19 points. 

Isabella Tilmont - Senior - CNU Storm Dance Team - New Market, Md.

While a constant presence on the sidelines of every CNU football game as well as the majority of basketball games over the course of her career, Isabella Tilmont was also working diligently toward a degree in Neuroscience at Christopher Newport. She completed her undergraduate coursework with a 3.78 cumulative grade-point average and graduated in May.

Tilmont was a team captain of the CNU Storm Dance Team this season and helped guide the Captains back to the National Dance Alliance Collegiate Dance Team National Championships. With Tilmont as a leading member of the squad, the Captains finished as high as fourth at the national championships. She was also a key coordinator of joint community service and fundraising projects throughout her tenure.